o 

# 


Zion  called  upon  to  awake . 


A SERMON 


PREACHED  IN  THE 


| SECOND  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH, 


# 

$ 

# 


Philadelphia,  May  22,  1838, 


BEFORE  THE 


® BOARD  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS 


OF  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 
OF  AMERICA. 


# 

® BY  SAMUEL  MILLER,  D.D. 

PROFESSOR  IN  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY  OF  THE  FRK9BY TERlAN  CHURCH, 
??  PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


& 

& 

& 

* 

# 

& 

& 

# 

# 

# 


NEW-YORK: 

PRINTED  BY  SCATCHERD  & ADAMS,  38  GOLD  STREET. 

1S38. 


Zion  called  upon  to  awake. 

A SERMON 


PREACHED  IN  THE 


SECOND  PRESBYTERIAN  CIIURCH, 


Philadelphia,  May  22,  1839, 


BEFORE  THE 


BOARD  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS 


OF  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 
OF  AMERICA. 


BY  SAMUEL  MILLER,  D.D. 

PROFESSOR  IN  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY  OF  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH, 
TRINCETON,  N.  J. 


NEW-YORK: 

PRINTED  BY  SCATCHERD  & ADAMS,  38  GOLD  STREET. 

1838. 


At  a meeting  of  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  in  the  United  States  of  America,  in  the  Seventh 
Presbyterian  Church,  Philadelphia,  the  25th  of  May,  1838,  it 
was 

Resolved , That  the  thanks  of  the  Board  be  given  to  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Miller,  for  his  sermon  preached  before  them  on  Tues- 
day evening  the  22d  instant,  and  that  a copy  be  requested  for 
publication. 


John  M.  Krebs,  Recording  Sec'y. 


A SERMON,  &c. 


Isa.  lii.  1.  Awake,  awake  ; ■put  on  thy  strength,  O Zion. 

By  Zion  here  we  are  evidently  to  understand  the  Church  of 
God.  Mount  Zion,  in  Jerusalem,  having  been  for  ages  the 
seat  of  Jehovah’s  worship  and  honor,  it  became  customary,  in 
all  subsequent  time,  to  employ  this  term  to  designate  the  body 
of  the  covenanted  people  of  God  who  once  worshipped  there. 
The  Church,  in  the  days  of  Isaiah,  had  sunk  into  a state  of 
great  lethargy  and  depression.  The  servant  of  God  calls  upon 
her  to  awake  at  once  to  the  discharge  of  her  duty,  and  the  an- 
ticipation of  her  glory.  And,  lest  she  might  not  be  ready  to 
hear  this  solemn  call,  it  is  emphatically  repeated  : “ Awake, 
awake  !”  Zion  is  called  to  “ put  on  her  strength  that  is,  to 
arouse  from  her  lethargy, — to  feel  her  responsibility  ; and  to  call 
into  earnest  and  vigorous  exercise  her  graces  and  her  activity 
in  all  her  appropriate  departments  of  duty. 

In  the  preceding  chapter  the  Church  is  represented  as  call- 
ing upon  her  divine  Head  and  Lord  to  “ awake  and  put  on  his 
strength  that  is,  to  appear  in  behalf  of  his  own  cause,  and  to 
sustain  and  defend  it  against  every  foe.  And  in  the  passage 
before  us,  the  Lord,  in  his  turn,  by  his  servant,  calls  upon  the 
Church  to  “ awake,  and  put  on  her  strength.”  There  is  no 
inconsistency  here.  Though  the  Church  has  no  strength  of 
her  own,  being  entirely  dependent  on  her  Almighty  Sovereign 
for  every  power,  and  every  holy  and  acceptable  exercise ; yet 
she  is  not,  on  that  account,  to  be  idle.  While  all  her  members 
are,  by  nature,  totally  depraved  ; and  by  grace,  only  partially 
sanctified  ; still  they  are  moral  and  accountable  agents,  and 
ought,  of  course,  to  be  addressed  and  treated  as  such.  She  is, 
therefore,  called  upon  to  be  “ awake”  and  active  ; and  because 
there  is  help  from  on  high,  to  employ,  with  diligence,  all  the 
means  within  her  reach  to  attain  and  enjoy  that  help. 


4 


A SERMON. 


The  “ strength”  of  the  Church  consists,  not  in  secular  power, 
not  in  temporal  wealth  or  honor.  She  never  was  more  feeble, 
in  a spiritual  sense,  than  when  she  could  boast  the  largest 
share  of  these  worldly  endowments.  But  her  strength  consists 
in  moral  energy  and  beauty  ; in  spiritual  health  ; in  conformity 
to  her  Lord’s  will ; in  that  fixedness  of  sanctified  purpose  and 
ardor  of  zeal,  in  the  possession  of  which  she  is  adapted  most 
effectually  and  extensively  to  promote  the  great  purposes  for 
which  she  was  founded.  The  image,  the  love,  and  the  faithful 
service  of  her  Lord,  form  her  glory  and  her  strength.  The 
more  she  possesses  of  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  more 
may  she  be  said  to  be  “ strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of 
his  might.” 

The  words  of  our  text,  my  friends,  apply  to  the  Church  now 
as  really  as  they  did  to  the-  Church  of  old,  when  the  prophet 
uttered  them.  The  Church  now , as  well  as  then,  is  laboring 
under  a moral  lethargy  and  indolence,  from  which  she  needs 
to  be  roused.  And  if  we  desire  to  know  the  nature  of  that 
wakeful  and  vigorous  action  to  which  she  ought  to  be  excited, 
let  us  inquire  a moment  what  are  the  great  ends  for  which  the 
Church  was  originally  instituted  ? In  answer  to  this  question, 
all  agree  that  she  was  intended,  from  the  beginning,  to  be  a 
depository  of  evangelical  truth  and  order;  and,  of  course,  that 
she  is  bound,  in  all  ages,  to  preserve  pure  and  entire  all  such 
doctrines  as  God  has  revealed  ; and  all  such  religious  worship 
and  ordinances  as  he  has  appointed  in  his  word  ; and,  for  this 
purpose,  diligently  to  watch  over  the  faith  and  practice  of  all  her 
members.  It  is  not  known  that  any  diversity  of  opinion  exists, 
in  regard  to  these  duties,  among  those  who  claim  the  character 
of  evangelical  believers. 

But  in  regard  to  another,  and  most  important  branch  of  the 
Church’s  duty,  there  appears  to  be  less  unanimity,  especially  of 
late,  among  her  members.  1 refer  to  the  great  duty  of  impart- 
ing the  knowledge  of  the  religion  which  she  professes,  to  those 
who  have  it  not.  There  are  those  who  deny  that  the 
Church,  as  such,  is  bound  to  make  the  propagation  of  the  Gos- 
pel among  the  destitute  at  home  and  the  heathen  abroad,  an 
object  of  her  habitual  attention  ; on  the  plea  that  the  work  of 
missions  may  be  better  done  by  other  means.  To  this  strange 
doctrine  our  text,  certainly,  affords  no  countenance.  It  calls  on 
Zion  to  “ put  on  her  strength,”  and  to  act ; that  is,  actively 
and  zealously  to  address  herself  to  the  fulfilment  of  her  whole 
duty,  in  regard  to  her  own  edification  and  the  extension  of  her 
Master’s  kingdom.  On  this  principle  I propose  to  interpret 


A SERMON. 


5 


and  consider  the  passage  before  us.  And  in  the  execution  of 
my  purpose,  I shall 

I.  First,  endeavor  to  show,  that  every  Church,  as  a Church, 
is  bound  to  employ  herself  in  sending  the  Gospel  to  those 
who  are  destitute  of  it : and, 

II.  Secondly,  present  some  of  those  considerations  which 
serve  to  illustrate  and  enforce  the  importance  of  this  duty. 

I.  Let  us  begin  with  establishing  the  general  principle,  that 
the  Church,  as  such,  is  bound  to  employ  herself  habitually  and 
diligently  in  sending  the  Gospel  to  those  who  are  destitute  of  it. 
I say,  the  Church,  as  such.  By  the  Church,  we  are  to  under- 
stand the  body  of  those  who  profess  the  true  religion,  together 
with  their  children  ; the  body  of  those  who  are  united  under 
the  authority  of  Christ,  and  called  out  of  the  world  for  the  pro- 
motion of  his  glory.  Now,  it  is  agreed  on  all  hands,  that  this 
body,  by  whatever  name  she  may  be  called,  or  under  whatever 
form  she  may  be  organized,  is  bound,  as  such,  to  take  measures 
for  promoting  her  own  edification  and  comfort ; for  supporting 
a Gospel  ministry;  tor  sustaining  public  worship ; for  main- 
taining discipline  ; for  training  up  her  children  ll  in  the  nurture 
and  admonition  of  the  Lord  and  for  exciting  all  her  mem- 
bers, from  time  to  time,  to  a deep  sense  of  their  delincpiency 
and  their  duty.  I say,  under  whatever  form  she  may  be  or- 
ganized, and  whenever  her  leaders  and  guides  come  together, 
these  great  objects,  which  relate  to  the  support  of  religion 
within  her  own  bosom,  ought  to  engage  her  serious  attention. 
She  fails  of  discharging  her  essential  obligations  if  she  neglects 
them.  In  this  I suppose  all  agree.  But  I contend,  that  in  the 
same  capacity  in  which  the  visible  Church — any  visible  Church 
— is  bound  to  attend  to  those  objects  which  bear  on  her  own 
spiritual  edification,  she  is  equally  bound  to  be  employed  in 
“ lengthening  her  cords  and  strengthening  her  stakes in 
sending  the  light  of  the  Gospel  to  those  who  are  sitting  in  the 
region  and  shadow  of  death  ; in  supplying  the  spiritually  poor 
with  the  bread  and  the  waters  of  life.  In  what  manner  do  we 
expect  an  individual  Christian  to  “put  on  spiritual  strength  ?” 
Not  merely  by  cultivating  sanctified  affections  in  the  recesses 
of  his  own  soul,  but  by  going  out  of  himself,  and  manifesting 
the  strength  of  his  faith,  the  ardor  of  his  love,  and  the 
warmth  of  his  zeal,  in  vigorous  efforts  to  promote  a spirit  of 
piety,  in  every  walk  of  life,  and  in  all  with  whom  he  associates. 
Something  analogous  to  this  is  evidently  implied  when  the 
Church  is  commanded  to  “ put  on  her  strength.”  The  injunc- 
ti  in  always  carries  with  it  the  idea  not  merely  of  keeping  alive 


6 


A SERMON. 


religion  within  herself ; but  of  zealous,  energetic  action  for  ex- 
tending the  Redeemer’s  reign.  It  implies  exerting,  with 
decision  and  zeal,  her  appropriate  influence,  as  the  body  of 
Christ ; enlarging  her  borders  ; recommending  her  Master ; and 
calling  as  many  as  possible  into  his  kingdom  and  glory.  The 
more  the  Church  manifests  deep  feeling,  strong  affection,  and 
earnest  persevering  effort  in  this  cause,  the  more  she  may  be 
said  to  “put  on  her  strength.” 

Let  none  say,  that  this  doctrine  of  the  obligation  of  the 
Church,  as  such,  to  engage  in  the  work  of  extending  the  Re- 
deemer’s kingdom,  is  a high  church  claim,  involving  the  arro- 
gant assumption,  that  the  body  which  makes  it,  is  alone  the 
Church  of  Christ.  There  arc  those  who  urge  this  objection. 
But  it  is  impossible  to  conceive  of  a charge  more  groundless  or 
unreasonable.  The  Presbyterian  Church  claims  to  be  only  one 
of  the  branches  of  the  great  visible  Church  Catholic,  throughout 
the  world,  of  which  all  evangelical  denominations  form  the 
other  branches  ; and  our  doctrine  is,  that  our  branch  of  this 
body,  as  well  as  all  the  other  branches,  is  bound,  not  only  to 
support  the  religion  of  Christ  at  home,  but  to  send  it  abroad  to 
the  utmost  of  her  power  to  those  who  are  “ perishing  for  lack 
of  knowledge.”  We  are  so  far  from  restricting  this  duty  to  our 
beloved  Church,  that  we  contend  earnestly  for  the  same  obliga- 
tion as  resting  upon  every  religious  body  which  bears  the  name, 
or  claims  the  character,  of  a church  of  Jesus  Christ. 

To  the  body  of  his  people  the  Saviour  said,  “Ye  are  the 
light  of  the  world  ; a city  that  is  set  on  an  hill  cannot  he  hid. 
Neither  do  men  light  a candle,  and  put  it  under  a bushel,  but 
on  a candlestick,  that  it  may  give  light  to  all  that  are  in  the 
house.  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may  sec 
your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven. 
Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth  ; but  if  the  salt  have  lost  its  savour, 
(that  is,  if  it  have  lost  the  power  of  exerting  a preserving  in- 
fluence on  that  which  comes  in  contact  with  it)  wherewith 
shall  it  be  salted  ? It  is  thenceforth  good  for  nothing  but  to 
be  cast  out  and  trodden  under  foot  of  men.”  If  these  figures 
mean  any  thing,  they  imply  that  the  Church,  when  she  fails  of 
diffusing  her  light  abroad  for  the  benefit  of  those  beyond  her 
pale,  who  sit  in  darkness ; and  when  she  does  not  cause  her 
preserving  and  purifying  influence  to  be  felt  through  all  that 
corrupt  and  putrifying  mass  to  which  she  can  obtain  access, 
criminally  fails  of  accomplishing  the  great  purpose  for  which 
she  was  called  and  instituted.  She  was  filled  with  the  light 


A SERMON. 


7 


and  the  salt  of  grace  for  the  purpose  of  extending  a benefit  by- 
means  of  them  to  a polluted  world. 

That  such  was  considered  as  the  duty  of  the  Church,  from 
the  very  commencement  of  the  New  Testament  dispensation,  is 
undeniable.  The  last  command  of  the  ascending  Saviour,  to 
her  leaders  and  guides  was,  “ Goye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach 
the  Gospel  to  every  creature.”  And  again,  in  the  same  solemn 
circumstances, — “ Jesus  came  and  spake  unto  them,  (the  apos- 
tles,) saying : ‘ All  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and 
in  earth.  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  1 
have  commanded  you.”  This  injunction  was  not  confined  to 
the  apostles.  It  is  manifestly  binding  as  long  as  there  shall  be 
a family  or  an  individual  of  Adam’s  race  without  the  Gospel. 
For  it  was  in  immediate  connection  with  this  command  that 
the  Saviour  added, — “ Lo,  lam  with  you  always,  even  unto  the 
end  of  the  world  ;”  plainly  implying,  that  the  obligation  to  per- 
form the  duty  enjoined,  was  as  broad  and  as  lasting  as  the  pro- 
mise of  support  under  its  performance.  The  same  great  com- 
mand is  either  directly  or  virtually  repeated  from  the  date  of 
the  Master’s  ascension  to  the  end  of  the  New  Testament  histo- 
ry. And,  accordingly,  the  apostolic  church  was  always 
and  eminently  a Missionary  Church.  She  was  con- 
stantly employed  in  plans  and  labors  for  spreading  the  Gospel. 
In  conformity  with  the  Saviour’s  injunction,  she  immediately  ad- 
dressed herself  to  the  great  duty  of  preach  ing  repentance  and 
remission  of  sins  unto  all  nations,  beginning  at  Jerusalem. 
She  raised  funds,  and  sent  out  missionaries  in  every  direction. 
In  all  her  assemblies  for  worship,  the  conversion  of  the  world 
was  evidently  the  great  prominent  object  of  counsel  and  prayer. 
And  her  sincerity  in  these  prayers  was  evinced  by  unceasing 
and  vigorous  efforts  for  carrying  the  object  prayed  for  into  ef- 
fect. Accordingly  we  find  the  apostles,  and  their  contempora- 
ry coadjutors  in  the  ministry,  preaching  the  Gospel,  and  esta- 
blishing churches,  not  only  in  Palestine , but  in  Syria,  in  Asia 
Mbior,  in  Greece  ; as  far  west  as  the  city  of  Rome,  and  as  far 
east  as  Babylon.  Nay,  they  went  on,  exploring  one  moral 
wilderness  after  another,  and  breaking  up  field  after  field  with 
the  Gospel  plough,  until  they  had  spread  the  knowledge  of  the 
religion  of  Christ  over  the  greater  part  of  the  Roman  empire, 
which  might  then  be  said  to  comprise  the  known  world. 

Such  was  the  spirit  and  course  of  the  primitive  Church. 
And  can  we  doubt  that  it  was  a right  spirit,  and  that  it  ought 


8 


A SERMON. 


to  be  the  spirit  of  the  Church  in  all  ages?  For  what  was  the 
Church  originally  founded,  but  for  this,  as  well  as  for  other  pur- 
poses; or  rather  mainly  for  this  purpose, — that  she  might  be,  as 
it  w§re,  a great  light-house  to  the  nations  ; that  she  might,  ac- 
cording to  the  language  of  the  inspired  apostle,  “ hold  forth  the 
word  of  life  ” to  the  benighted  and  the  perishing  ? Nay,  can 
we  conceive  of  an  organized  body  of  Christians,  prizing  the  Gos- 
pel in  any  measure  as  they  ought ; considering  it  as  the  only 
hope  of  ruined  man  ; as  “ the  power  of  God  upto  salvation  to 
every  one  that  believeth,”  without  feeling  impelled  to  send  it  as 
far  as  possible,' from  the  rising  to  the  setting  sun  ? Were  the 
apostle  Paul  now  to  rise  from  the  dead,  and  re-visit  our  assem- 
blies in  person,  with  what  amazement  would  he  hear  it  alleged, 
that  it  is  no  part  of  the  church’s  duty  to  engage  in  the  missio- 
nary enterprise  ; but  that  this  hallowed  work  ought  to  be  resign- 
ed to  other  hands  ! “ No  part  of  the  Church’s  duty,”  the  holy 

man  would  reply,  “ to  send  the  Gospel  abroad  beyond  her  own 
bounds  ! If  this  be  not  her  appropriate  work,  nothing  is.  She 

IS  IN  HER  OWN  NATURE  ESSENTIALLY  A MISSIONARY  SO- 
CIETY, as  really  and  essentially  as  she  is  a society  for  worship 
or  for  discipline.” 

The  great  question,  my  friends,  which  we  have  to  settle,  is 
not  what  others  may  do,  if  they  think  proper  ; but  what  the 
church  is  bound  to  do.  We  do  not  deny  that  any  persons,  who 
choose,  may  associate,  and  raise  funds,  and  employ  living 
teachers  to  carry  and  explain  the  Bible  to  those  who  are  desti- 
tute of  the  Gospel.  No  one  doubts  the  right  of  any  persons 
who  think  proper  to  employ  their  time  and  their  funds  in  such 
an  enterprize.  It  cannot,  for  a moment,  be  questioned,  that  the 
most  heterogeneous  mass  of  Pelagians,  Socinians,  Deists,  and 
even  Atheists,  responsible  to  no  worldly  authority,  and  agreeing 
in  nothing  among  themselves,  but  the  single  object  of  their  as- 
sociation, may,  if  they  choose,  unite  for  the  prosecution  of  that 
object.  But  would  it  be  wise  in  the  Church  to  surrender  the 
work  of  missions  into  such  hands  ? Would  the  great  cause  of 
spreading  the  Gospel  be  safe  an  hour  under  such  management  ? 
Nay,  is  it  not  incorrect  in  principle,  that  ecclesiastical  men, 
or  ecclesiastical  matters,  should  be  authoritatively  disposed  of  by 
any  other  than  ecclesiastical  bodies?  Especially,  according  to  the 
constitution  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  can  any  manbelicensed 
to  preach  the  Gospel,  or  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  or 
regularly  sent  to  any  field  of  labor,  domestic  or  foreign,  with- 
out the  authority  of  the  ecclesiastical  judicatory  to  which  he  is 
subject?  While  it  is  plain,  then,  that  some  branches  of  the 


A SERMON. 


9 


missionary  enterprise  are  open  to  all  who  choose  to  pursue 
them  ; it  is  equally  plain  that  other  branches  of  that  enterprize, 
and  those  the  most  vital  and  important,  are  absolutely  restrict- 
ed to  the  judicatories  of  the  Church.  Others  may , to  a certain 
exteut,  engage  in  this  work  ; but  the  Church  must  engage  in 
it  as  one  of  her  primary  objects.  It  is  her  appropriate  work. 
She  is  disobedient  to  her  master’s  command,  and  recreant  to  her 
most  sacred  and  tender  obligations,  when  she  neglects  it.  For 
this  she  was  founded.  For  this  her  scriptural  organization,  in 
church  Sessions,  Presbyteries,  Synods,  and  General  Assembly, 
is  more  perfectly  and  happily  adapted  than  that  of  any  other 
body  on  earth.  And  the  performance  of  this  work,  while  it  is 
her  duty,  is,  at  the  same  time,  her  life  and  her  glory. 

II.  Let  us  next  attend  to  some  of  those  considerations  which 
serve  to  illustrate  and  enforce  the  importance  of  this  duty  ; 
and, 

1.  Among  these  considerations,  the  command  of  our  Master 
in  heaven  holds  the  first  and  highest  place.  Of  this  we  have 
spoken  already  ; but  it  cannot  be  too  frequently  remembered,  or 
too  seriously  inculcated.  He  who  founded  the  Church,  calling 
its  members  out  from  the  world,  and  forming  them  into  a com- 
munity devoted  to  his  own  glory,  has  expressly  commanded 
them  not  only  to  preserve  in  their  purity  all  the  truth  and  ordi- 
nances delivered  unto  them,  but  also  to  send  out  his  light  and 
his  truth  ; toextendhis  empire  ; and  to  make  known  the  wonders 
of  his  love  and  mercy  to  all  nations.  We  have  heard  this  com- 
mand addressed  to  the  ministers  of  his  church,  and  in  them  to 
all  her  members.  How  express  its  import ! how  universal  its 
application  ! how  solemn  its  sanction  ! Now,  as  this  command 
was  early  given  to  the  Church,  and  has  never  been  repealed, 
so  it  evidently  binds  the  whole  Church.  Not  only  her  leaders 
and  guides,  as  such,  to  whom  it  was  originally  given,  but  also 
all  her  members.  There  is  not  a brother  or  sister  of  the 
Church  within  these  walls  but  is  laid  under  obligation  by  this 
command.  Nor  is  it  possible  for  any  one  to  be  divested  of  this 
obligation.  We  are  all  solemnly  and  indissolubly  bound  to  do 
all  in  our  power  for  sending  the  Gospel  to  every  creature  that 
has  it  not.  Nay,  further  ; it  is  common  to  say,  that  the  duty  in 
question  is  incumbent  on  every  member  of  the  Church, 
however  obscure  his  situation  or  narrow  his  circumstances. 
This  is  true  ; but  the  duty  is  not  confined  to  these.  As  every 
individual,  however  situated,  to  whom  the  Gospel  comes,  is 
bound  to  believe  and  obey  it,  and  to  unite  himself  with  the  vi- 
sible Church  ; so,  in  like  manner,  every  individual  who  hears 

2 


10 


A SERMON. 


the  Gospel,  whether  he  come  under  its  power  himself  or  not, 
is  under  obligations  to  do  all  that  he  can  for  sending  it  to  every 
human  being  within  his  reach.  Such  are  the  extent  and  force 
of  the  Master’s  command.  It  binds  every  intelligent  creature, 
who  knows  the  Gospel.  He  who  possesses  this  knowledge,  and 
does  not  extend  it,  is  guilty  before  God.  Much  more  may  we 
consider  the  Church,  when  she  neglects  to  spread  this  saving 
knowledge,  as  guilty  ; because  she  not  only  has  this  treasure 
committed  to  her  for  safe  keeping  and  for  diffusion,  but  must  be 
supposed  to  know  something  by  experience  of  its  infinite  value  ; 
and  to  be  aware  that  the  duty  of  imparting  it  to  all  nations  is  one 
of  the  great  purposes  for  which  she  received  her  institution. 

2.  The  Church , as  such , and  every  individual  member  of  it , 
are  bound  to  send  the  Gospel  to  all  who  are  destitute  of  it,  on 
the  principle  of  common  benevolence. 

Both  the  nature  and  the  urgency  of  the  missionary  cause 
are  founded  on  the  fact,  that  the  whole  family  of  mankind  is,  by 
nature,  in  a state  of  moral  and  physical  ruin  ; sunk  in  ignorance  ; 
degraded  by  sin  ; and  suffering  under  all  those  miseries  for 
which  the  Gospel  alone  can  furnish  a remedy.  Common  hu- 
manity, then,  to  say  nothing  of  higher  considerations,  ought  to 
impel  us  to  do  all  in  our  power  to  send  them  this  greatest, 
best  gift  of  God  to  fallen,  miserable  man. 

The  darkness  and  degradation  of  the  heathen,  my  friends, 
are  frequently*dwelt  upon,  and  made  the  topic  of  strong  argu- 
ment in  enforcing  the  claims  of  missions.  But,  after  all,  no  re- 
presentation has  ever  been  made  equal  to  the  awfulness  of  the 
reality.  Yes,  l am  verily  persuaded,  that,  after  the  most 
heart-affecting  description  of  their  deplorable  moral  and  phy- 
sical condition  that  you  ever  heard,  were  it  possible  for  you  to  go 
and  contemplate  the  reality  with  your  own  eyes ; could  you 
take  your  station,  for  a while,  amidst  all  their  pollution  and 
wretchedness  ; you  would  say,  without  hesitation,  that  “ the 
half  had  never  been  told  you.”  Were  you  to  be  witnesses  of 
their  gross  ignorance  of  the  plainest  principles  of  what  we  are 
accustomed  to  call  natural  religion ; their  unblushing  disre- 
gard of  truth  and  integrity  in  all  their  intercourse  ; their  ha- 
bitual, unfeeling  cruelty  to  one  another,  as  well  as  to  strangers  ; 
their  systematic  infanticide,  exhibiting  parents  as  monsters  in- 
stead of  human  beings  ; their  disregard  of  the  marriage  tie, 
that  precious  ordinance  of  God,  to  which  society  is  more  in- 
debted for  its  purity,  peace  and  happiness,  than  tongue  can 
tell ; their  utter  destitution  of  all  those  personal,  social,  and 
domestic  habits  and  comforts,  which  depend  for  their  existence 


A SERMON. 


11 


on  civilization  and  Christianity  ; their  entire  want  of  consola- 
tion under  the  sorrows  of  life,  and  of  hope  in  death  ; were  you 
to  be  personal  witnesses  of  these  things,  what,  think  you,  would 
be  the  impression  on  your  minds?  Could  the  benevolent 
heart  endure  it?  Could  you  “shut  up  your  bowels  of  com- 
passion ” toward  them  ? 

Lay  all  these  melancholy  facts  together,  and  then  say,  whe- 
ther the  heathen  are  not  entitled  to  your  tender  commiseration  ? 
Now,  we  are  in  possession  of  an  effectual  remedy  for  all  these 
wants  and  woes  ; and  are  able,  under  God,  to  send  it  to  them. 
How,  then,  can  we  answer  it  at  the  bar  of  conscience  or  of  God, 
if  we  neglect  or  delay  to  send  it?  If  we  were  informed  of  millions, 
in  a distant  land,  who  were  suffering  and  dying  amidst  the  hor- 
rors of  famine,  and  should  neglect,  when  it  was  in  our  power,  to 
send  them  food,  we  should  regard  ourselves,  and  be  regarded  by 
others,  as  monstersof  inhumanity.  Hut  here  is  an  infinitely  strong- 
er case.  Unnumbered  millions  of  our  fellow-men,  not  worse 
by  nature  than  ourselves, are  known  to  be  living  in  misery,  dying 
in  despair,  and  daily  passing,  as  we  have  every  reason  to  fear, 
into  hopeless  and  endless  misery  ; when  ave  have  it  in  our  power 
to  send  them  that  which,  by  the  divine  blessing,  may  make  them 
happy  in  this  world,  and  happy  forever.  And  shall  tve  neglect 
to  send  it  ? O my  friends,  put  your  souls  in  their  souls’  stead, 
and  then  say  Avhether  you  are  “doing  to  them,  as  you,  in  like 
circumstances,  would  desire  them  to  do  to  you?” 

3.  The  degree  of  “ strength  ” which  the  professing  people 
of  God  put  forth  in  this  great  cause,  may  he  regarded , at 
once , as  a test  and  a measure  of  their  personal  piety. 

There  seems  to  be,  my  friends,  I know  not  how,  a sentiment 
prevailing,  to  a great  extent,  even  among  professing  Christians, 
that,  although  missionary  zeal  is  a good  thing ; commendable 
in  itself,  and  undoubtedly  worthy  of  approbation  where  it  exists; 
yet  that  this  spirit  does  not  essentially  belong  to  the  Christian 
character.  That  it  is  left  very  much  to  our  ovAm  pleasure  or 
taste,  whether  this  shall  be  a favorite  object  Avith  us  or  not. 
And  that  Ave  may  be  entirely  destitute  of  it ; or.  at  any  rate, 
possess  a very  small  share  of  it,  Avithout  any  impeachment  of 
our  Christian  spirit.  In  opposition  to  this  opinion,  I am  con- 
strained to  concur  in  sentiment  with  the  excellent  and  justly 
celebrated  Dr.  Doddridge,  Avho  remarks,  with  emphasis,  that 

“ THE  SPIRIT  OP  THE  GOSPEL  IS,  UNIVERSALLY  AND  ESSEN- 
TIALLY, A SPIRIT  OF  MISSIONS  ; AND  THAT  AVE  MUST  GRA- 
DUATE OUR  CHRISTIAN  CHARACTER  BY  THE  DEGREE  IN 

which  ave  possess  this  spirit.”  The  sentiment  is  un- 


12 


A SERMON. 


doubtedly  just.  What  is  the  Christian  spirit  ? It  is  the  spirit 
of  Christ ; for  “ if  any  man  have  not  the  spirit  of  Christ,  he  is 
none  of  his.”  It  is  the  spirit  of  him  who  came  down  from 
heaven  “ to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost.”  It  is  the 
spirit  which,  in  conformity  with  the  angel’s  anthem,  seeks  to 
bring  “glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  peace  on  earth,  and  good 
will  to  men.”  And  what  is  this,  but  precisely  the  spirit  of 
missions  ? What  is  this , but  the  very  spirit  which  prompts 
men,  from  a regard  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  temporal  and 
eternal  welfare  of  their  fellow-men,  to  exert  themselves  to  send 
the  Gospel  to  every  creature ; and  to  desire  that  this  Gospel, 
which  is  “the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that 
believeth,”  may  pervade  the  world  1 

Let  no  one,  then,  imagine  that  the  spirit  of  missions  is  some- 
thing which  we  are  not  all  bound  to  possess  ; something  which 
we  may  be  entirely  destitute  of  without  forfeiting  our  Christian 
character.  We  might  just  as  well  contend,  that  he  who  has 
no  love  to  the  Saviour  ; no  regard  for  his  kingdom  and  glory ; 
no  love  for  his  fellow-creatures ; no  desire  to  promote  the  best 
interests  of  mankind ; may  yet  be  a Christian.  I will  not  say, 
my  friends,  how  much  allowance,  in  relation  to  this  point, 
ought  to  be  made,  in  particular  cases,  for  ignorance,  and  for 
having  been  placed  in  circumstances  peculiarly  unfavorable  to 
proper  impressions  on  this  subject.  1 judge  the  heart  of  no 
one.  I undertake  not  to  weigh  the  spirit,  or  to  estimate  the 
relative  guilt  of  any  individual.  But  I will  venture  to  say, 
that,  in  all  cases  whatsoever,  the  reign  of  the  spirit  of  missions 
in  any  heart,  does  actually  graduate  the  measure  of  piety  in 
that  heart:  and  that,  where  there  is  correct  information  on  the 
subject,  so  far  as  real  religion  exists,  just  in  the  same  propor- 
tion will  a desire  for  the  salvation  of  others,  and,  of  course,  for 
the  spread  of  the  Gospel,  exist,  and,  in  some  good  degree,  mani- 
fest itself  in  corresponding  breathings  and  exertions.  So  that, 
if  any  one  who  professes  to  be  a Christian,  when  called  upon 
for  zeal,  and  prayer,  and  exertion,  according  to  his  ability,  in 
behalf  of  missions,  is  ready  to  say,  “ I pray  thee,  have  me  ex- 
cused I see  not  how  charity  herself  can  believe  that  that  man 
has  any  portion  of  the  spirit  of  Christ.  Yes,  my  friends,  were 
I able  to  go  from  seat  to  seat  in  this  house,  and  to  decide  who 
has  a desire  for  the  extension  of  the  Redeemer’s  kingdom  and 
the  salvation  of  souls,  and  who  has  not ; I should,  by  that  de- 
cision, draw  the  dividing  line  between  the  living  and  the  dead  ; 
between  the  friends  and  the  enemies  of  the  blessed  Saviour. 

The  truth  is,  “ strength  ” in  Christian  grace  is  inseparably 


A SERMON. 


13 


connected,  where  there  is  an  opportunity  of  exercising  it,  with 
“strength  ” in  Christian  action.  They  are  the  same  in  princi- 
ple. The  great  Author  of  our  holy  religion  has  joined  them 
indissolubly  together.  Let  no  one  think  of  putting  them  asun- 
der. No  man  can  “put  on  strength”  for  the  advancement  of 
the  Redeemer’s  kingdom,  without  being  previously  “strength- 
ened with  might  by  the  spirit  in  the  inner  man  and  the 
moment  any  one  is  thus  strengthened,  he  will  be  disposed  to 
“ put  on  strength  ” for  the  spread  of  the  glorious  Gospel.  It  is 
not  then  left  optional  with  anyone  whether  he  will  cherish  the 
spirit  of  missions  or  not,  any  more  than  it  is  left  optional  whe- 
ther he  will  believe  in  Christ  or  not.  No  man,  indeed,  can  be 
compelled  to  believe  in  Christ.  It  must  be  a voluntary  act,  if 
he  believe  at  all.  But  if  he  believe  not,  he  is  no  Christian. 
The  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it.  And  if  he  continue  to 
be  destitute  of  a living  faith  in  the  adorable  Redeemer,  he  must 
“die  in  his  sins.”  Precisely  so  is  it  in  reference  to  the  subject 
before  us.  He  who  cherishes  a desire  for  the  extension  of  the 
Redeemer's  kingdom,  and  for  the  salvation  of  his  fellow-men, 
must,  of  course,  do  it  voluntarily,  if  acceptably,  or  at  all.  But 
to  suppose  that,  therefore,  he  is  at  liberty  to  neglect  it,  is  the 
greatest  of  all  absurdities.  He  might  just  as  well  imagine  that 
he  is  at  liberty  to  neglect  prayer,  if  he  please  ; to  neglect  the 
study  of  the  Bible,  if  he  please  ; to  neglect  the  ordinances  of  the 
sanctuary,  if  he  please ; or  to  neglect  the  love  of  God,  if  he 
please.  He  may,  indeed,  neglect  them  all,  if  he  please;  but  it 
will  be  at  the  awful  expense  of  showing  that  he  is  “ an  alien 
from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  and  a stranger  to  the  cove- 
nant of  promise.” 

Does  any  one  of  my  hearers,  then,  desire  to  know  whether 
he  is  a Christian  : whether  Christ  has  been  received  by  him  for 
the  salvation  of  his  own  soul ; whether  he  is  indeed  precious 
to  him  as  a Saviour  from  sin.  Let  him  ask  himself,  whether 
he  is  conscious  of  a serious  concern  for  the  souls  of  others  ? 
Whether  he  has  any  sincere  desire  for  the  salvation  of  his  fel- 
low-men ; or  has  done,  or  intends  to  do,  any  thing  to  promote 
it?  We  may  lay  down  this  as  an  infallible  test.  No  man 
ever  yet  received  for  himself  “the  record  which  God  has  given 
of  his  Son,”  without  desiring,  if  it  were  possible,  to  make  that 
record  known  to  every  human  being. 

4.  The  vital  interests  of  the  Church  herself  demand  that  she 
should  “ put  on  strength  ” in  sending  the  Gospel  to  those  who 
have  it  not. 

As  a revival  of  religion  in  the  bosom  of  a Church,  is  indis- 


14 


A SERMON. 


pensable  to  the  prevalence  and  reign  of  a missionary  spirit ; so 
it  may  be  said,  with  equal  confidence,  that  the  excitement  and 
prevalence  of  a missionary  spirit  in  the  church,  is  no  less  indis- 
pensable, for  keeping  alive  and  extending,  genuine  revivals  of 
religion  in  all  her  borders.  As  it  is  in  the  material,  so  also  in 
the  moral  world.  As  no  man  can  be  expected  to  engage  with 
vigor  and  success  in  the  active  labors  of  his  vocation,  while 
disease  is  undermining  all  the  powers  of  life;  so  he  who  ceases 
to  be  active,  will  be  likely  soon  to  become  the  victim  of  enfee- 
bling and  wasting  disease. 

There  is  no  principle  more  firmly  established,  either  by  the- 
ory or  practice,  than  this, — that  if  we  desire  to  impart  a healthful 
vigor  to  any  faculty  or  body,  we  must  call  it  to  the  exercise  of 
its  appropriate  powers.  The  arm  of  flesh  is  strengthened  by 
much  muscular  action  ; the  intellectual  faculties  by  constant 
employment  and  cultivation  ; and  all  the  moral  powers  by  vigi- 
lant, persevering  exercise.  Every  thing  becomes  enfeebled  by 
indolence  ; and  nothing  more  so  than  the  religious  spirit.  Hence 
it  is  just  as  important  to  the  Church  herself,  as  it  is  to  the  hea- 
then, that  she  be  diligently  employed  in  contriving  and  execu- 
ting plans  for  sending  the  glorious  Gospel  to  those  who  are  des- 
titute of  it  ; and  thus  extending  the  empire  and  the  glory  of 
her  Lord  and  Master.  This  is  an  aspect,  my  friends,  under 
which,  I fear,  the  great  cause  of  missions  is  not  so  generally  or 
seriously  contemplated  as  it  ought  to  be.  And  yet  it  appears 
to  me  one  of  the  most  important  and  deeply  interesting  under 
which  the  subject  can  be  viewed.  That  is,  considering  mission- 
ary zeal  and  efforts  as  means  of  grace,  adapted  to  react 

ON  THE  CHURCH  HERSELF  WHILE  SHE  EXERCISES  THEM, 
AND  RICHLY  TO  PROMOTE  ALL  HER  BEST  INTERESTS.  The  Very 

act  of  performing  a Christian  duty  aright,  always  reflects  a be- 
nefit on  the  performer.  “ It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to 
receive.”  Or  rather,  in  the  department  of  sanctified  bene- 
volence of  which  we  speak,  we  never  give,  without,  by 
the  very  act,  receiving,  by  a reflux  influence,  more  than  we 
give.  It  is  thus  that  every  sincere  effort,  either  by  churches 
or  by  individuals,  to  spread  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  to  pro- 
mote the  salvation  of  souls,  always  reacts  on  themselves  as  one 
of  the  most  happy  and  efficacious  means  of  grace.  It  draws 
down  the  divine  blessing.  It  stirs  and  excites  spiritual  life.  It 
rouses  and  quickens  the  Christian  graces.  It  calls  into  lively 
exercise  those  very  principles,  feelings  and  affections  in  which 
the  life  of  religion  consists  ; and,  of  course,  promotes  the  spirit- 
ual prosperity  of  those  who  make  the  effort  in  question,  as  well 
as  of  those  to  whom  it  is  directed. 


A SERMON. 


15 


Accordingly,  as  long  as  the  early  Church  continued  to  be  a 
Missionary  Church,  she  prospered.  The  pulse  ot  her  spiritu- 
al life  beat  strong  ; her  borders  were  rapidly  extended ; and  her 
conquests  over  the  powers  of  darkness  were  gloriously  multi- 
plied. But  whenever,  and  just  as  far  as  her  missionary  spirit 
declined,  she  lost  her  purity  and  her  life.  In  losing  her  zeal 
for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel,  like  Sampson  of  old,  when  shorn 
of  his  locks, — she  lost  her  strength.  Her  enemies  came  upon 
her,  and  made  her  an  easy  prey.  Gross  doctrinal  error,  degrading 
superstition,  intestine  tends,  and  moral  profligacy  began  to  grow 
apace  ; until  she  exhibited  a miserable  carcase,  bloated  by  dis- 
ease, and  spreading  a deadly  pestilence  all  around  her. 

If  l were  called  upon,  then,  to  give  counsel  to  a Church 
struggling  with  difficulties  within  and  without,  and  mourning 
over  a low  state  of  religion  in  all  her  assemblies  ; if  1 were  re- 
quested to  point  out  the  best  means  of  rousing  her  from  a state 
ot  torpor;  and  of  promoting  her  purity,  her  enlargement,  and 
her  spiritual  strength ; I would  say  to  her — “If you  wish  to 
rise,  and  grow  and  prosper,  engage  in  good  earnest  in  spread- 
ing the  Gospel  of  Christ.  “ Awake,  and  put  on  strength”  in  this 
noble  enterprise  ; and  all  will  be  well.  Address  yourselves  to  it 
by  zealous  counsel,  by  prayer,  and  by  pecuniary  offerings,  ac- 
cording to  your  ability.  Endeavor  to  engage  in  this  hallowed 
work  every  member  and  every  hearer,  from  childhood  to  the 
hoary  head.  Try  the  experiment: — and,  amidst  your  feeble- 
ness, it  will  strengthen  you.  Amidst  your  languor  and  cold- 
ness, it  will  be  the  means  of  rousing  you  to  feeling,  and  zeal, 
and  strength,  and  sacred  enterprise.  Every  prayer  you  offer ; 
every  pecunary  gift  you  bestow  in  faith  ; every  benevolent 
effort  you  make  for  the  salvation  of  the  heathen,  will  return 
with  blessing  into  your  own  bosom.  In  watering  others,  you 
shall  be  watered  yourselves.  In  laboring  to  bring  others  to  the 
Saviour,  you  will  draw  nearer  to  Him  yourselves  ; and  gain  a 
more  endearing  resemblance  to  him  day  by  day. 

Let  no  church,  then,  nor  any  of  her  members,  say,  that  they 
cannot  afford  to  do  much  in  the  work  of  missions  to  the  hea- 
then. Let  them  not  say  that  they  are  called  upon  for  so  much  ex- 
penditure of  money  and  of  effort  at  home,  that  they  have  nei- 
ther time  nor  contributions  to  spare  for  the  foreign  field.  Never 
was  there  a more  miserable  mistake.  “ There  is,”  says  the  in- 
spired wise  man,  “there  is  that  withholdeth,  but  it  tendeth  to 
poverty.”  There  is  no  case  in  which  this  proverb  is  more  in- 
variably or  instructively  exemplified  than  in  the  neglect  of  the 
missionary  cause.  Not  able  to  afford  time  or  money  for  this 
cause!  Infatuated  plea ! Those  who  profess  to  love  the  Saviour, 


16 


A SERMON. 


and  to  desire  greater  conformity  to  his  will,  ought  rather  to  say 
— “ We  cannot  afford  to  live  without  unceasing  zeal  and  pray- 
ers, and  efforts  in  the  missionary  cause.  We  shall  rather  im- 
poverish than  enrich  ourselves,  in  the  most  important  sense,  by 
withholding  our  liberality  toward  this  great  cause.”  Settle  it 
in  your  minds,  my  friends,  that  one  of  the  best  means  of  promo- 
ting religion  at  home,  is  to  engage  with  earnestness  and  vigor 
in  sending  it  abroad: — that  if  you  wish  “times  of  refreshing 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  ” to  descend  on  ourselves,  your 
children,  and  your  neighbors,  you  cannot  adopt  a more  direct 
method  of  drawing  down  the  blessing,  than  to  cherish  feelings 
of  pity 'for  the  poor  heathen,  who  know  nothing  of  your  privi- 
leges, and  to  do  all  in  your  power  to  send  them  the  bread  and 
the  waters  of  life. 

And  now,  my  friends,  let  us,  more  particularly,  apply 
this  subject  to  ourselves.  We  are  assembled,  as  the  repre- 
sentatives of  our  beloved  Church,  to  recognize  for  ourselves, 
and  to  endeavor  to  impress  on  the  minds  of  others,  the  duty  and 
importance  of  engaging  with  zeal,  as  a Church,  in  the  great 
cause  of  Foreign  Missions.  It  is  well  known  to  those  whom  I 
now  address,  that  a large  number  of  the  friends  of  truth  and 
order  in  our  body,  have  been  earnestly  desiring,  for  a number 
of  years  past,  to  engage  in  this  work,  in  an  ecclesiastical  capa- 
city. After  many  a painful  and  unsuccessful  struggle  to  attain 
the  privilege,  God  has  been  pleased,  at  length,  to  grant  us  the 
desire  of  our  hearts.  Need  I say,  Christian  brethren,  that  the 
history  of  the  conflict  by  which  we  have  gained  the  position 
which  we  now  occupy,  is  deeply  interesting,  and  greatly  in- 
creases our  responsibility.  Have  we  been  contending  for  a 
mere  nominal  honor;  or  for  a precious,  practical  privilege? 
Surely  every  consideration  of  worldly  consistency,  as  well  as 
of  sanctified  principle,  calls  upon  us  to  arise  in  all  the  strength 
that  God  may  give  us,  and  to  pursue  in  good  earnest  the  object 
which  we  profess  to  love,  and  which  we  have  solicited  the  power 
of  pursuing.  O,  let  us  not  contradict  or  disgrace  our  oft-repeated 
profession.  Let  us  not  manifest  by  our  indolence,  now  that 
the  point  is  attained,  that  our  object  was,  not  to  perform  the 
work,  but  to  gain  the  victory.  Let  us  rather  testify,  by  our 
zeal,  diligence  and  energy  in  this  cause,  that  the  love  of  Christ 
does  indeed  constrain  us  ; that  the  love  of  souls  does  indeed  fill 
our  hearts  ; and  that  we  regard  it  as  our  highest  privilege  to  be 
engaged  in  the  great  work  of  converting  the  world  to  God. 

That  we  have  been,  as  a Church,  greatly  and  deplorably 
remiss  in  regard  to  this  duty,  we  must  all  acknowledge.  And 
how  far  a righteous  God  may  have  permitted,  as  a judgment 


A «KKMOM 


17 


for  this  criminal  remissness,  so  much  coldness,  and  leanness, 
and  error,  and  strife,  to  enter  and  distress  our  Zion,  1 pretend 
not  to  decide.  I can  only  say,  that  the  very  same  effects 
followed  the  same  neglect  of  missionary  efforts,  on  the  part  of 
the  Church,  sixteen  hundred  years  ago  ; and  that  similar  results 
may,  in  all  similar  circumstances,  be  expected.  And  although 
we  have  begun  to  arouse  ourselves,  and  to  act  in  this  great 
field  of  benevolence,  we  are  yet  but  half  awake.  1 repeat 
it,  my  friends,  we  are  yet  but  half  awake,  either  to  the 
value  of  the  Gospel,  or  to  the  misery  of  those  who  are  desti- 
tute of  it.  What  have  we  done,  or  what  are  we  doing,  com- 
pared with  what  the  magnitude  of  the  cause,  or  the  authority 
of  the  Master  requires  at  our  hands  ? What  are  the  twenty  or 
thirty  missionaries  which  we  now  sustain  in  the  foreign  field, 
to  the  five  hundred , or  rather  double  that  number,  which  a 
Church  so  large  and  so  wealthy  as  ours  ought  to  be  at  this  hour 
sustaining?  O that  another  Isaiah  might  be  raised  up; — ano- 
ther Isaiah,  in  spirit  and  in  eloquence,  to  go  forth  through  the 
length  and  breadth  of  the  land,  proclaiming  again  in  the  language 
of  our  text,  “ Awake  ! awake  ! O Zion  ! put  on  thy  strength.” 
What  object  in  the  universe,  let  me  ask,  can  more  empha- 
tically, or  more  worthily  call  on  us  to  put  on  all  our  strength, 
than  that  of  extending  the  Redeemer’s  empire,  and  promoting 
the  everlasting  blessedness  of  millions  of  immortal  spirits  ; and, 
for  this  purpose,  sending  them  that  glorious  Gospel  of  the 
blessed  God,  which  is  “the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to 
every  one  that  believeth  ?”  Surely  here  is  an  object  worthy  of 
every  effort,  and  of  every  sacrifice  that  can  be  made  by  an  in- 
telligent and  accountable  creature. 

Let  the  efforts  and  sacrifices  which  the  children  of  this 
world  are  ever  ready  to  make  for  their  favorite  objects,  put  our 
indifference  in  the  greatest  of  all  causes  to  shame.  The  sons 
of  avarice  and  of  ambition  are  ever  ready  to  encounter  the 
dangers  of  pestilential  climates,  or  the  terrors  of  the  battle-field, 
for  the  sake  of  mammon  or  of  fame.  The  children  of  pleasure 
compass  sea  and  land,  and  submit  to  the  most  persevering  toil 
and  expense  for  attaining  their  beloved  gratifications.  Oh,  if 
those  who  call  themselves  by  the  name  of  Christ,  in  our  be- 
loved Zion  alone,  were  only  willing  to  incur  half  the  expendi- 
ture in  sending  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen,  that  the  votaries  of 
appetite  and  of  luxury  constantly  and  cheerfully  incur  in  the 
purchase  of  those  intoxicating  poisons,  which  tend  to  de- 
stroy soul  and  body  forever ; we  might  multiply  at  once  fifty- 
fold— nay,  an  hundred-fold  our  missionaries — and  ail  our  other 
means  for  the  salvation  of  benighted  millions. 


3 


18 


A SERMON. 


But  there  is  another  consideration  in  the  way  of  example 
still  more  tender  and  affecting.  Reflect,  tor  a moment,  my 
friends,  on  the  character  of  the  primitive  Christians,  with  re- 
spect to  the  subject  before  us ; and  compare  their  spirit  and 
conduct  with  our  own.  Read  the  history  of  their  labors 
and  sufferings.  Think  how  they  braved  dangers,  and  denied 
themselves,  and  made  sacrifices  for  spreading  the  Gospel,  at 
which  the  frigidness  of  modern  zeal  stands  abashed  and  asto- 
nished. Yes,  amidst  all  the  poverty  and  privations  under 
which  they  labored,  they  brought  forth  offerings  for  sending 
the  knowledge  of  salvation  to  others,  truly  wonderful  in  their 
amount.  Nay,  they  not  only  gave  their  substance — sometimes 
to  the  last  farthing — to  this  object;  but  they  counted  not  their 
lives  too  dear  to  be  made  an  offering  for  the  promotion  of  the 
Saviour’s  kingdom  and  glory.  Think,  my  Christian  friends, 
of  this  affecting  record,  and  then  say,  whether  those  who  talk 
of  giving  only  what  is  perfectly  convenient  for  the  cause  of 
Christian  benevolence  ; nay,  who  seem  to  grudge  the  sacrifice 
of  a piece  of  ornamental  and  unnecessary  dress,  for  this  hal- 
lowed cause,  can  be  considered  as  belonging  to  the  same 
body,  and  as  animated  with  the  same  spirit,  with  those  primitive 
believers  ? 

Has  it  come  to  this,  my  beloved  friends,  that  Christian  men  and 
women  can  satisfy  their  consciences  with  acting  and  giving  for 
Christ’s  kingdom  on  a scale  so  small  as  not  to  interfere  with  a 
single  luxury,  or  to  call  for  a single  act  of  real  self-denial  and 
sacrifice  ? Did  the  Saviour  do  no  more  than  this  for  us  ? Did 
the  Apostles  and  other  primitive  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  do 
no  more  than  this  for  the  benighted  millions  of  their  day  ? 
Yes,  they  sacrificed  their  all  for  the  conversion  of  the  world. 
O ! if  they  had  neither  done  nor  given  more  than  was  conve- 
nient, for  this  great  object,  where  had  we  now  been?  What 
had  been  the  situation  of  our  miserable,  ruined  race?  Shame 
on  the  indolence  and  the  parsimony  which  can  calculate  so  ig- 
nobly for  the  greatest  of  all  causes,  and  the  best  of  all  Masters  ! 

My  dear  Christian  friends,  there  must  be  more  moral 
strength  in  the  Church  before  she  can  be  prepared  to  make 
her  appropriate  impression  on  the  world.  She  must  be  seen  to 
be  more  in  earnest  in  seeking  the  extension  and  glory  of  her 
Master’s  kingdom.  She  must  have  more  of  the  spirit  of  love, 
of  zeal,  of  self-denial,  and  self-sacrifice.  She  must  begin  to 
make  the  enlargement  of  the  Redeemer’s  empire  her  main  ob- 
ject, before  the  “latter  day  glory”  can  dawn  on  our  troubled 
World.  And  if  she  desires  to  “ put  on  this  strength,”  she  must 
seek  it  from  on  high.  We  have  no  strength  of  our  own.  All 


A SERMON. 


19 


“our  sufficiency  is  of  God.”  When  we  are  most  sensible 
of  our  own  weakness,  and  most  importunate  in  begging  for 
that  strength  which  it  is  the  prerogative  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
God  to  impart,  then,  and  not  till  then,  are  we  in  a fair  way  to 
obtain  the  blessing  desired.  This  the  Apostle,  no  doubt,  meant, 
when  he  said,  “ when  I am  weak,  then  am  I strong.”  That  is, 
when  I most  cordially  renounce  all  reliance  on  my  own 
strength  and  wisdom,  1 am  most  strong  in  the  grace  that  is  in 
Christ  Jesus. 

Christian  brethren,  let  us,  then,  arouse  from  our  lethargy,  and 
put  forth  all  our  strength,  as  one  man  in  this  great  enterprise 
of  benevolence ; or  rather  cry  mightily  to  God  that  “ his 
strength  may  be  made  perfect  in  our  weakness.”  Three-fourths 
of  the  population  of  our  globe  are  without  the  Gospel.  Mil- 
lions on  millions  of  their  number  are  ready  and  willing  to  re- 
ceive it ; nay,  large  numbers  are  stretching  forth  their  hands  to 
us  to  send  it  to  them.  The  door  is  wide  open  to  almost  every 
nation  under  heaven,  to  enter  with  “ the  glad  tidings  of  great  joy 
to  all  people.”  Shall  we  turn  a deaf  ear  to  the  cry  of  their  necessi- 
ties and  their  desolation  ? Shall  we  consent  to  sit  down,  and  en- 
joy our  Bibles,  or  Sabbaths,  our  Sacramental  Tables,  and  all 
our  inestimable  privileges  alone , while  they  are  dying  without 
them?  Tell  me  not  of  your  love  to  the  Saviour,  while  you 
are  so  indifferent  to  the  extension  of  his  glory.  Tell  me  not  of 
your  enjoyment  in  religion,  while  you  have  no  practical  con- 
cern for  the  eternal  welfare  of  benighted  and  starving  millions. 
Tell  me  not  of  your  benevolence  in  feeding  the  hungry,  and 
clothing  the  naked  around  you,  when  you  can  sit,  with  your  arms 
folded,  while  unnumbered  multitudes  of  immortal  spirits  within 
your  reach,  are  sinking  under  a famine  of  the  word  of  life. 
Beloved  friends  ! by  the  command  of  our  common  Master,  I 
conjure  you.  By  the  example  of  the  Apostles  and  Martyrs,  I 
conjure  you.  By  all  that  is  touching  and  tender  in  the  value 
of  the  immortal  soul,  I conjure  you.  By  the  prayers,  and 
tears,  and  self-denial  and  labors  of  our  venerated  Fathers,  in 
this  land,  in  by -gone  years,  I conjure  you.  By  the  honor  of  our 
beloved  Zion,  and  of  that  Orthodoxy  for  which  we  contend,  I 
conjure  you.  Let  the  time  past  suffice  to  have  slumbered  over 
this  all-precious  and  blessed  cause.  Let  the  long  and  humilia- 
ting delinquency  of  us  who  are  old  and  grey-headed,  at  once 
admonish  and  animate  our  younger  brethren  to  set  a more  wor- 
thy example  of  zeal  and  activity  in  this  cause,  than  we  have  done. 
Delinquent  as  we  who  are  aged  have  been,  let  us  have  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  those  who  are  now  coming  forward  to  the 
work  of  the  Lord,  take  hold  of  the  enterprize  before  us  with  a 


20 


A SERMON. 


vigorous  grasp,  and  bear  it  forward  with  their  whole  souls. 
Ttien  may  we  hope,  before  we  go  hence,  to  see  such  opening 
prospects  of  our  Master’s  triumph,  as  will  warrant  us  in  ex- 
claiming— “Lord,  now  let  thy  servants  depart,  in  peace,  for  our 
eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation  !”  Delay  not  a moment  longer  ! 
“Awake!  awake!  put  on  strength”  in  this  holy  enterprize. 
Think  of  nothing  but  pressing  onward.  Think  of  nothing  but 
augmenting,  greatly  augmenting  effort,  until  every  family, 
and  every  individual  of  our  race  shall  be  furnished  with 
the  knowledge  of  “ redemption  through  the  blood  of  Christ, 
even  the  forgiveness  of  sins  according  to  the  riches  of  his 
grace.” 

In  this  labor  of  love,  we  have  no  desire  to  damp  the  zeal, 
or  to  interfere  with  the  labors  of  any  other  body.  There  is 
room  for  every  laborer  that  can  repair  to  this  immense  field. 
The  more  numerous  the  truly  evangelical  missionaries  sent 
forth  to  proclaim  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  to  the  hea- 
then, the  better.  We  rejoice  in  them  all,  and  are  ready  to  bid 
them  all  God  speed.  But  while  we  bless  the  Lord  for  the  la- 
bors of  all  true  friends  of  Christ,  whatever  names  they  bear  ; 
we  wish  for  the  privilege  of  standing  in  our  lot,  and  perform- 
ing our  part  of  this  hallowed  and  delightful  work.  For  the 
sake  of  our  Master’s  honor  we  wish  it.  For  the  sake  of  the 
poor  heathen  we  wish  it.  For  the  sake  of  our  own  spiritual  edi- 
fication we  wish  it.  It  has  pleased  the  great  head  of  the 
Church  to  give  us  an  ecclesiastical  organization  pre-eminently 
adapted  to  excite  and  to  concentrate  our  zeal  and  efforts  in  this 
great  field  of  evangelical  benevolence.  When  every  judicatory 
of  our  beloved  Zion,  from  the  Church  Session  to  the  General 
Assembly,  shall  feel  itself  to  be  a pledged  and  devoted  mission- 
ary board,  and  shall  begin  to  cherish  the  zeal,  and  to  act  the 
part  proper  to  such  a board ; then,  and  not  till  then,  the  ques- 
tion so  often  anxiously  asked,  whether  we  can  carry  on  with 
spirit  the  missionary  enterprize,  without  special  agents , to  visit 
and  rouse  our  congregations?  shall  be  happily  and  triumphantly 
answered  in  the  affirmative.  Again,  then,  I say,  to  every  mem  - 
ber, and  every  well-wisher  of  our  Zion,  Awake!  awake  ! Pray 
and  labor  without  ceasing,  until  there  shall  be  a general  and 
united  movement  of  our  whole  Church,  to  carry  the  glorious 
Gospel  to  every  kindred,  and  people,  and  nation,  and  tongue ; 
and  until  the  knowledge  and  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  “ cover 
the  earth  as  the  waters  fill  the  sea.”  Amen,  and  amen  ! 


THE  END. 


